Akintoye, Gani Adams sue for tolerance, peace to develop

Panelists, which included Second Republic senator, Prof Banji Akintoye and the National Coordinator, O’odua People’s Congress (OPC) and President Oodua Progressive Union (OPU), Otunba Gani Adams yesterday sued for tolerance and peaceful co-existence of all ethnic nationalities in Nigeria as tools for progressive and sustainable development of the country.

The duo and others spoke at the ongoing two-day summit/workshop on Peace Building and Sustainable Development in Lagos organised by Journalists for Democratic Rights (JODER) and the Ford Foundation

Akintoye, in his keynote address titled, Facts, Realities and Challenges of Black Africa’s Nationalities, said that in every case of inter-ethnic conflicts in Nigeria, poor governance and poor leadership of the Nigerian state is the cause.

According to him, since independence, governance at all levels in Nigeria (federal, state and local) has taken on the character of indifference to the needs of the people, while concentration of most leadership energy has been on the acquisition of personal unearned wealth, and cynically deceptive propaganda for the purpose of hiding the truth from the people.

He said, “Much of what of what the politicians present to their people as necessary for the interest of their people are really not so. The masses of the people in all parts of our country are suffering from desperate poverty. It is not true that upholding an excessively powerful federal government that controls all resources benefits the people of any part of our country.”

National Co-ordinator, O’odua People’s Congress (OPC) and President Oodua Progressive Union (OPU), Otunba Gani Adams in his presentation titled, “Nationalities and Ethnic Conflict in Nigeria: A People’s Antidote for Peace,” said this is the right time for this kind of conference, adding that Nigeria, has been having elections since the military were chased out of power in 1999, yet the country remains in perpetual crisis of ethnic and cultural identity.

In his address, Executive Director of Journalists for Democratic Rights (JODER), Mr. Adewale Adeoye, said the two-day event put together in collaboration with the Ford Foundation is aimed at promoting peace, democracy and stability in Nigeria through the media, social-cultural institutions and youth–driven community-based group, adding that the summit which is in the interest of Nigerian people, regional and global security.